Folding scissors



6, 1938. B. J. FLORIAN 2,126,699

FOLDING- SCISSORS Filed March 1, 1957 Patented Aug. 16, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application March 1,

8 Claims.

This invention relates to scissors and shears but more especially to improvements in folding scissors which can be adjusted either intoextended operative condition or be folded up into small compass, and the invention has for its main objoct to provide an improved scissors of this type which may be of any desired size or design.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a durable folding scissors instrument which can be conveniently and safely carried in the pocket of a garment; which will be of simple and efficient construction, and which can be produced at a low cost.

To these ends I have provided an improved folding scissors instrument constructed and operating as set forth in the following description, the several novel features of the invention being separately pointed out and defined in the claims at the close thereof In the accompanying drawing:-

Figure l is an elevation of a scissors constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 shows the scissors of Fig. l in one folded condition.

Figure 3 shows one of the scissor members consisting of a blade section and a handle section, the two parts being shown as folded together.

Figure 4 is an elevation of the inner side of one of the handle sections hereinafter described.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Figure 6 is an edge view of the handle section shown in Fig. 3.

Figure 7 is an elevation of the outer side of one of the blade sections.

35 Figure 8 is an elevation of the inner side of the blade section shown in Fig. '7.

Figure 9 is a top edge view of the blade shown in Fig. 8.

Figure 10 shows the scissors of Figs. 1 and 2 in another folded condition.

Figure 11 is a top plan view of the scissors shown in Fig. 10.

Figure 12 illustrates one form of pivotal connection by which the several parts of the scissors are fastened together.

Figure 13 shows an alternative form of pivotai connection.

The embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 12, inclusive, comprises two scissor or cutting members 9, 9 each of which includes a blade-section it] and a handle-section II, the two blade-sections being duplicates and the two handle-sections being duplicates. Therefore,

.iese four sections H3 and H may be produced at low cost from sheet steel by means of. two

1937, Serial No. 128,308

blanking dies and one forming die, the latter being employed to bend the handle-section blanks into their final shapes. Or the bending of the handle-section may be effected by the same die mechanism by which it is cut out.

All four of these sections are pivotally connected together by a single pintle or rivet I2. That is to say,. the single pintle or rivet l2not only pivotally connects the two scissor members 9, 9 but it also pivotally connects the two sections of each of said members.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 5 each handle-section It comprises a shank portion l8 formed at its one end with an eye or ring 13 for the reception of a finger of the hand by which the instrument is operated, the inner marginal portion of this eye being rounded inwardly as shown at M, and at its opposite end with an aperture l5, Fig. 4, to receive the pintle I2 and with a longitudinal slit it which provides a resilient spring finger ll to co-operate with the hub of the blade section l0 that is associated with said handle-section;

As shown in Fig. 5 the shank E8 of each handlesection is of angle-iron shape in cross-section and this angular shape provides an inwardly projecting flange l9 which extends throughout the greater portion of the length of the spring finger if and provides a stop shoulder adjacent to the free end of said finger to co-operate with a shoulder 2!, Figs. 3 and 8, provided upon the hub of the blade section l0 that is associated with said handle section.

At the end thereof that is in proximity to the finger-receiving eye l3, viz., at its outer end, the flange I9 of each handle-section H is made with a lug extension 22, Figs. 1 and 11, to co-operate with the blade-section of the other, or opposite, scissor member as presently to be described.

In order to impart the desired strength and resiliency to the spring finger ll of each handlesection the latter is spring tempered and because of the angular cross-sectional shape of said finger, and the proximity of the inner end of slit IE to the flange l9, practically all of the flexing of finger ll toward and from pivot aperture I5 Fig. i, will be localized adjacent to said inner end. Thus the opposite end portion of flange i9 that is adjacent to aperture I5 is not distorted from its fiat shape by movement thereof toward and from said aperture.

When the several parts of the scissors are assembled and pivotally connected by the pintlerivet l2 the spring finger ll of each handle-section is under tension and at all times bears yieldingiy against the hub portion 23, Figs. 3 and 8, of the blade section If! however the latter may be adjusted relatively to the handle-section.

The hub portion 23 of each blade-section l0, Figs. '7 and 8, is formed with an aperture 24 to receive the pintle-rivet l2 while its periphery is made with two tangential flat surfaces 25 and 26, the former surface 25 being disposed at one side of aperture 24 adjacent to shoulder 2| and the surface 26 being disposed at the opposite side of said aperture 24, said two surfaces being also disposed obliquely relatively to each other as shown in Fig. 7. Between these two flat surfaces the periphery of said hub portion is made arcuate and concentric with respect to aperture 24 as shown at 27.

When the blade section occupies extended position relatively to its handle-section the shoulder 2| thereof abuts the end of flange l9 at while said flange bears flatwise against the flat surface of the blade section thereby to yieldingly hold the latter against closing movement relatively to the handle section. Thus the flange IQ of each handle-section cooperates with the bladesection thereof to perform a double function in addition to a third function to be referred to presently.

When the two members 9 of the scissors are in operative condition as shown in Fig. 1, relative swinging movement of the two members in a direction to close the blade section together is limited by the engagement of bosses 3! which project from the inner faces of the blade sections, each with the cutting edge of the opposite blade section. These bosses are struck up from the material from which the blade sections are made by the blanking die and therefore each boss is integral with its blade section and cannot work loose. Swinging movement of the two handle sections in the opposite direction first opens the blade sections to their fullest extent as shown in Fig. 10 which brings the back of each blade section into engagement with the lug 22 of the opposite handle-section, after which continued movement of the handle-sections on the pintle rivet l2 in the same direction brings the two finger eyes 13 into register as shown in Fig. 2, the engagement of the outer free end portions of the blades with the lugs 22 of flanges l9 together with the engagement of an elevation 28, Figs. 7 and 8, on the hub of each blade section with its flange i9, preventing further relative movement of the two handle-sections in that direction. The elevation 28 on the hub of each blade section is made of suflicient height to co-operate with its flange I9 as a stop as described. That is, the radial distance of elevation 28 from the axis of the aperture 24, Fig. '7, is materially greater than the radial distance between said axis and the arcuate surface 21.

After each blade blank is produced from sheet steel as above described it is ground away upon its outer face to bevel the same as shown at 29, Fig. '7, along its inner cutting edge 30.

In adjusting the parts from their folded up inoperative positions shown in Fig. 2 the two handle-sections are swung apart on the pintle rivet [2 to the extent of nearly 180 degrees. When the scissors instrument is viewed as in Fig. 2 the nearest handle-section i! would be swung downwardly and the further handle-section upwardly to the extent described. The first effect of this relative movement of the handle-sections is to close the two blades together until the bosses 3! Fig. 1, through engagement with the cutting edges of the blade sections, prevent further relative movement of the latter. Continued movement of the handle-sections thereafter moves them relatively to the closed blade sections until the shoulders 28 at the ends of the flanges l9 abut the shoulders 2! of the blade sections which is the limit of adjustment of the two handlesections in that direction. The scissors is then in operative but closed condition.

While being thus adjusted the engagement of the flange portions E9 of the spring H with the flat surfaces 26 causes each blade-section to move with its handle-section as the two handle-sections are moved apart from the positions shown in Fig. 2 until the movement of the blade sections toward each other is arrested by the stop bosses 3i, Fig. 1, and thereafter the engagement of shoulders 29 and 2i occurs while the blades are closed which prevents further movement of the handle-sections. It will be clear that when a blade section occupies the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the engagement of the flange IQ of spring finger E? with the flat surface 28 of the blade section yieldingly opposes opening movement of the latter, while further movement of the blade section toward the eye of its handle-section is prevented by the elevation 28 of the blade.

The pintle rivet I2 is made at one end with a head as shown while the opposite end portion of its shank is made tubular and is upset as shown to permanently secure the parts together. Before upsetting the end of the shank of the pintlerivet a spring washer 32 is placed in position on the projecting end of the shank that is to be upset.

In Fig. 13 I have illustrated an alternative form of pivotal connection wherein each handle-section il is pivotally and permanently connected with its complemental blade section 5% by arate tubular rivet 33 made at its outer end with a flange 34 and having its inner end upset to fill a countersink provided at the inner end of the hole or aperture 26 formed in the blade scction M1. After connecting the sections of two scissors members in this fashion a solid rivet 35 is passed through the tubular rivets of the two members and upset as shown. With this construction illustrated in Fig. 13 the two sec-- tions of each scissors member are pivotally con-- nected by a rivet or pintle other than that which pivotally connects the two scissors members, whereas in Fig. 12 the single pintle-rivet 52 not only pivotally connects the two sections of each member but it also pivotally connects the two members.

What I claim is:

1. A scissors of the character described comprising a pair of scissor members each of which includes a handle-section having a shank formed adjacent to one end thereof with an aperture and made with a resilient portion adjacent to said aperture, and each of which members also includes a blade-section having a hub portion made with an aperture, with two flat peripheral surfaces disposed at opposite sides of said aperture one of which is engaged by said resilient portion of said shank to hold said blade-section in extended operative position relatively to its handle-section and the other of which surfaces is engaged by said resilient portion of said shank to hold said blade-section in its inoperative position alongside of said handle-section, and with a stop shoulder for engagement with the end of said shank of said handle section to limit the movement of said blade-section toward its extended position, and means occupying the apertures of said sections pivotally connecting the two sections of each member together and also pivotally connecting said members.

2. A scissors of the character described comprising a pair of scissor members each of which includes a handle-section having a shank formed adjacent to one end thereof with an aperture and with a resilient spring finger portion alongside of said aperture having upon its inner side a longitudinal marginal flange and each of which members also includes a blade-section having a hub portion made with an aperture, with two flat peripheral surfaces disposed at opposite sides of said aperture one of which is engaged fiatwise by said flange to hold said blade-section in ex tended operative position relatively to its handle-section and the other of which surfaces is engaged flatwise by said flange to hold said bladesection in its inoperative position alongside of said handle-section, and with a stop shoulder for engagement with the end of said shank of said handle section to limit the movement of said blade-section toward its extended position, and means occupying the aptreures of said sections for pivotally connecting the two sections of each member together and also pivotally-connecting said members.

3. A scissors of the character described comprising a pair of scissor members each of which includes a molded sheet handle-section having a shank formed upon its inner side with a longitudinal marginal flange and adjacent to one end thereof with an aperture and also formed with a longitudinal slit disposed between said aperture and said flange which provides said shank with a flanged resilient spring finger portion, and each of which scissor members also includes a blade-section having a hub portion made with an aperture, with two flat peripheral surfaces disposed at opposite sides of said aperture one of which is engaged flatwise by the flange of said spring finger portion to hold said bladesection in extended operative position relatively to its handle-section and the other of which surfaces is engaged flatwise by said flange to hold said blade-section in its inoperative position alongside of said handle-section, and with a stop shoulder for engagement with the end of said flange to limit the movement of said blade-section toward its extended position, and means occupying the apertures of said sections for pivotally connecting the two sections of each member together and also pivotally connecting said members.

4. A scissors of the character described constructed in accordance with claim 3 and wherein the hub portion of each blade is made with a peripheral elevation adjacent to said last mentioned flat surface which engages the flange of its handle-section to limit the pivotal movement of said blade-section toward said handle-section.

5. A scissors of the character described constructed in accordance with claim 3 and wherein one of said blade sections is made upon its inner side with an integral extruded boss that is engageable with the other blade-section to limit the movement of said blade-sections toward each other.

6. A scissors of the character described con structed in accordance with claim 3 wherein each of said handle-sections is spring tempered.

7. A scissors of the character described constructed in accordance with claim 3 and wherein the hub portion of each of said blade sections is made adjacent to said last mentioned flat surface with a peripheral elevation which engages the flange of its handle-section to limit the pivotal movement of said blade-section toward the latter, and wherein the flange of each handlesection abuts the back or outer edge of the blade of the opposite handle-section when the two handle-sections are folded together and the bladesections occupy their closed positions so as to co-operate with the peripheral elevations of the blade sections to limit the relative closing movement of the handle-sections and confine the two blade-sections between the flanges of the handlesections.

8. A scissors of the character described comprising a pair of scissor members each of which includes a handle-section having a shank formed adjacent to one end thereof with an aperture and also with a longitudinal slat which intersects said aperture and provides at one side thereof an integral longitudinally disposed spring finger portion and each of which members also includes a blade-section having a hub portion made with an aperture, with two flat peripheral surfaces disposed at opposite sides of said aperture one of which is engaged by said spring finger portion of said shank to hold said blade-section in extended operative position relatively to its handle-section and the other of which surfaces is engaged by said spring finger portion of said shank to hold said blade-section in its inoperative position alongside of said handle-section, and with a stop shoulder for engagement with the end of said spring finger portion to limit the movement of said blade-section toward its extended position, and means occupying the apertures of said sections for pivotally connecting the two sections of each member together and also pivotally connecting said members.

BERKELEY JULIAN FLORIAN. 

